At&t changes data plans

[gibsonhtp#IM]

This looks to be really screwed up on At&t's part I think.

AT&T makes sweeping changes to data plans, iPhone tethering coming at OS 4 launch -- Engadget

 

[fearmychickens]

Pretty sure they're making this move to avoid anymore network congestion. Depending on how much data you use every month, it could be a good or bad thing.

 

[808dee]

and some people was complaining about $10 fee on the evo for sprint. att is now going to be charging eveyone a fee

 

[sam008]

Does anybody know if this is going to apply to business users as well?

thank you

 

[sniffs]

It will apply to both business and consumer. However, if your business renegotiates a contract, all the grand fathered plans might go away to the new plans.

Unless the contract is re-negotiated, all the current unlimited plans are grandfathered.

 

[Bob Sugar]

i saw that they said 98% of customers don't even come close to going over 2gb of usage. my question is, why the f restrict it then and look like a bunch of idiotic ritards????

corporations blow my mind sometimes, well most of the time

 

[TheOnlyMorgan]

i saw that they said 98% of customers don't even come close to going over 2gb of usage. my question is, why the f restrict it then and look like a bunch of idiotic ritards????

corporations blow my mind sometimes, well most of the time

Maybe getting ready to rape the new customers who might come over for the iPhone HD if the video chat works over 3G, and whatever other premium content might be better suited for the new iPhone like Netflix and such.

 

[DenverRalphy]

If Steve Jobs didn't have his fingers in it somewhere, I'll eat my hat.

I can see iJoe Consumer trying to decide between the iPad WiFi or 3G model. Included in the sales pitch is that AT&T's data plan has been slashed in half and only costs $15 now. Now iJoe Consumer pays $15 for his iPad, and depending on what he does with his current iPhone probably opts for the $15 plan on his iPhone as well. Thinking all the while he's getting a great deal because now it's $30 for two devices. Not realizing that that $30 doesn't even get you 500MB of data. Upon realizing it, iJoe decides to opt for the $25 dataplan for his phone, and is now spending $40 a month whereas before he was only spending $30 (and probably gets popped for another $10 a month on top of that when his iPad exceeds his data limit).

If AT&T can entice a customer to purchase 2 data plans, whichever way you slice it, AT&T gets more money. The question remains though... are there enough iPad 3G owners to make it worthwhile?

 

[whitenack]

It is going to be a great deal for me, since I don't use a lot of data right now. It is going to save me $30 a month (2 data plans switching to the $15 plans). However, what it is going to do is make me worry about future apps and data usage, or getting mad at myself when I streamed too many songs or watched one too many youtube videos and get hit with an additional $15 fee on any particular month. In the big picture, I am saving $360 per year, but that one month where I get hit for an extra $15, I doubt I'll remember that.

 

[Kage_]

What really bugs me about the rate changes is how much they are charging per MB when compared to a standard DSL or cable connection at home. Comcast now has a 250GB / 250,000MB data cap and my service runs around $43 per month. So my cost runs around .017 cents per MB assuming I use my full 250GB allotment.

With AT&T's model the cost per MB on the $15 plan is 7.5 cents per 200 MB and the $25 plan is 1.25 cents per 2,000 MB. This is roughly a 440% and a 73% respective increase of the cost of my home bandwidth.

Yes I know it's not quite a apple to apple comparison, but the cost of the bandwidth and wireless support can be no where near the prices they are charging. Unfortunately in the states this goes for the biggest two wireless carriers ATT and Verizon.

I have no problem paying for what I am using, but the pricing of there data is way out of the ball park.

 

[gmz73#AC]

For me personally I don't mind paying $30 for unlimited usage, I am a heavy user being that I have to fight at home just to use MY computer LOL! I'm glad Verizon still has it for now. I did try estimating my usage and 2GB is really cutting it close for me. Just can't take that chance.

 

[Droid800]

What really bugs me about the rate changes is how much they are charging per MB when compared to a standard DSL or cable connection at home. Comcast now has a 250GB / 250,000MB data cap and my service runs around $43 per month. So my cost runs around .017 cents per MB assuming I use my full 250GB allotment.

With AT&T's model the cost per MB on the $15 plan is 7.5 cents per 200 MB and the $25 plan is 1.25 cents per 2,000 MB. This is roughly a 440% and a 73% respective increase of the cost of my home bandwidth.

Yes I know it's not quite a apple to apple comparison, but the cost of the bandwidth and wireless support can be no where near the prices they are charging. Unfortunately in the states this goes for the biggest two wireless carriers ATT and Verizon.

I have no problem paying for what I am using, but the pricing of there data is way out of the ball park.

Compared to home broadband, yes it is more expensive. But the costs are different, and are quite a bit more for wireless carriers compared to Comcast or other providers. Have you seen how expensive it is to build out a high speed wireless network?